Simulation Information
At the Centre for Healthcare Simulation and Research (CHSR), we offer learners hands-on experiences with healthcare procedures, critical thinking, patient care, and teamwork skills in a controlled, risk-free setting. This immersive approach enhances their ability to handle real-life medical challenges, improves decision-making, and ultimately leads to better patient outcomes.
The Basic Assumption™: We believe that everyone participating in activities at CHSR is intelligent, capable, cares about doing their best and wants to improve.©
Our Services
The Simulation team is a group of inter-professional staff, trained in healthcare, simulation pedagogy and best practices. We aim to collaborate effectively with faculty members to collaboratively design customized simulation-based experiences (SBE) for all learners. The services we offer include:
- Assisting with the design of custom simulations based on identified learning objectives, in collaboration with program faculty.
- Tailoring existing curriculum to meet desired outcomes using various simulation modalities.
- Providing data and recordings after simulation based experiences for reflection and research.
- Facilitating a variety of realistic training scenarios in multiple bookable simulations spaces.
- Knowledge and expertise in simulation best practices.
- Planning of simulation activities, considering metrics and logistical factors.
- Facilitating simulation including scheduling and logistics, end-user simulation-based experiences, and high-quality debriefs.
- Training and orientation in simulation pedagogy for all users of the space.
- Supporting innovation in simulation technologies and methodologies to advance healthcare education and practices.
- Supporting and innovating in virtual reality (VR) simulation.
Simulation Best Practices, Pedagogy, and Structural Flow
The Centre for Healthcare Simulation and Research (CHSR) aligns our practices with the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL)’s best practices, called the “Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice (HSSOBP)® and the simulationist code of ethics from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Please see Glossary Terms and Resources Page for more information.
Simulation-based experiences (SBE) typically proceed with the following format: prebrief (including preparation materials and briefing), simulation experience, debrief, and evaluation. Details on each are provided below.
1. Signed CAE LearningSpace Consent Form
Prior to participating in any and all simulated activities at the CHSR, all students must sign the CAE LearningSpace recording consent form. Please work with us to ensure students have signed the consent form prior to participating in simulation. The consent form will be kept on record and covers the duration of the student’s time at Mohawk College School of Health. This ensure the users agree to audio and visual recording utilizing the CAE LearningSpace software during simulation activities. The CAE consent form is found for all students on CAE LearningSpace, at caelearningspace.mohawkcollege.ca.
If students are unable to sign the consent form prior to participating in activities involving recording, CHSR staff will have students sign the form prior to entering the recording space. Please see a copy of consent form for reference: Click here to access a copy of the CAE LearningSpace Consent Form (PDF, opens in new tab)
2. Prebrief
Prebriefing sets the stage for a successful simulation by ensuring participants are informed, comfortable, and ready to engage meaningfully in the activity. This includes preparatory materials for the learner as well as a prebriefing session prior to the SBE to review the objectives, scenario, expectations, and to orient to the space. The goals of prebriefing are to enhance readiness and to maximize the effectiveness of the SBE. Prebrief comprises two components: pre-activity materials, and the briefing session.
2.a. Pre-Activity Preparatory Materials
Preparatory materials may include a variety of digital materials to prepare learners for the SBE. Such materials may include: the CHSR orientation video, scenario details, procedural guidelines and pre-encounter readings or activities. Preparatory materials are designed in collaboration between faculty and simulation specialists to ensure all learners understand the goals of the simulation.
Preparatory materials are housed on the CAE LearningSpace platform. Learners will be emailed a link to log onto the LearningSpace online platform two (2) weeks prior to their simulation date. The following link can also be shared with students: caelearningspace.mohawkcollege.ca
Students will be able to view preparatory materials related to their simulation. Sign-off is required at the end of the module to ensure students have adequately prepared for their simulation. Students will also utilize this platform to complete any self-reflections or video review of their simulation. Please see the section below on self-reflection and video review for more details.
The following video was created to assist in the simulation preparatory process, focusing on the student experience. Please watch the video embedded below for more summarized information surrounding simulation. This video can also be shared with learners as a preparatory resource for simulation using the following link: CHSR Simulation Orientation Video (YouTube, opens in new tab)
2.b. Briefing Session
The briefing session will occur just prior to the start of the SBE. During this session, the Simulation Team, will prepare the learner to begin the SBE by discussing the following topics:
- psychological safety
- scenario objectives and overview
- roles and responsibilities
- procedures and expectations
- orient the learners to the space
- establishing a fiction contract
- discussing confidentiality
The simulation specialist will also be able to address any concerns and answer questions at this time, prior to the start of the activity. The briefing is crucial for ensuring that the environment is psychologically safe and that participants are well-prepared, confident, and focused, which enhances the overall effectiveness of the simulation.
3. Simulation-Based Experience (SBE)
During the SBE, the learners will be able to perform as part of the healthcare team to provide care for the patient. Participants engage with the simulation, which may involve interacting with high-fidelity mannequins, virtual reality environments, or simulated participants (actors trained to portray patients). They perform clinical tasks, make decisions, and respond to the evolving situation.
The Simulation Team will facilitate the simulation from the control room. Our role is to support the learners to engage in the simulation effectively. Simulation staff have the necessary education, skill, and ability to guide, support, and seek out ways to assist participants in achieving expected outcomes.
Faculty and content experts may observe the simulation from the control room. Here, they may note learners’ performances, decision-making, patient safety outcomes and team dynamics. They may collect data in order to facilitate a meaningful debrief. Simulations are designed to be safe spaces for learners and their actions in the simulation are not graded.
4. Debriefing
Debriefing is one of the most essential and critical components for a beneficial and safe simulation. The CHSR typically follows the PEARLS format. Click here to view the PEARLS debriefing format and sample script (PDF, opens in new tab)
Debriefing is co-facilitated by content experts and simulation specialists, and can take place on-site, in person in the CHSR, in a timely fashion following the SBE. The CHSR has multiple spaces available to facilitate a comfortable, safe debriefing space. During effective debrief, program faculty are viewed as content experts, while simulation specialists can be leaned on for support regarding the simulation experience as well as best practices in simulation and debrief.
5. Self-Reflection and Video Review
CAE LearningSpace will be utilized. Students will once again be emailed a link to their assignment and video review, though the link is the same as their preparatory materials: caelearningspace.mohawkcollege.ca. These self-reflection questions will be added to CAE LearningSpace by the Simulation team, but created collaboratively and in conjunction with Faculty to suit the needs of their program.
Student grades, if applicable (i.e. participation marks or marks for reflection), must be manually entered into MyCanvas upon viewing reports in CAE LearningSpace.
If any issues occur, please have yourself or students reach out to simulation@mohawkcollege.ca for assistance.
6. Simulation Evaluation
An optional Simulation Feedback Survey will be available to students for quality improvement following the completion of each simulation. This feedback is anonymous, and is only used for improving future SBE.
I’m Helping to Facilitate Simulation This Semester – Now What?
We’re happy to hear you’ll be involved in facilitating Simulation for learners at Mohawk College. Please feel free to review the following helpful checklist, which outlines the roles and responsibilities for simulation between the Simulation Team and program Faculty:
Click here to view Simulation Roles and Responsibilities Checklist (PDF, opens in new tab)
VR Simulation
Virtual reality (VR) simulation is possible within the SimFlex spaces of the CHSR. VR simulation is a joint collaboration between Simulation Specialists, Digital Learning Technicians, and Faculty. For further information, please see the Virtual Reality Simulation Guide below:
Virtual Reality Simulation Guide (Pressbook, opens in new tab)
Optional Resources – Glossary Terms
For more information on any of the above simulation best-practices, terminology, or references, please see optional glossary terms on the last page. Click here to visit the Glossary Terms Page.
Please note: this User Guide is a living document, and this online copy is the most up-to-date version of information.
© 2004-2024 Center for Medical Simulation,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA. www.harvardmedsim.org info@harvardmedsim.org
All Rights Reserved – Used with permission.